🏆 MIKHAILOVA STUNS ELITE FIELD TO CLAIM TUNIS SABRE GP GOLD
Updated: Aug 5
TUNIS, TUNISIA — 11 JANUARY 2026
In a career-defining performance, Alina Mikhailova (AIN) captured her first-ever Grand Prix title at the Tunis Women’s Sabre Grand Prix. Mikhailova, who took bronze earlier this season at the Algiers World Cup, navigated a "who’s who" of world-class sabreurs to claim the top step of the podium, defeating the world number one and defending champion Emura Misaki (JPN) 15-10 in the final.
Emura (JPN), a two-time World Champion and the reigning Asian Champion, followed up her silver at the Salt Lake City World Cup with another runner-up finish, maintaining her incredible consistency at the top of the rankings.
The bronze medals were awarded to Nisanur Erbil (TUR) and Lucia Martin-Portugues (ESP). Erbil secured her second career Grand Prix medal, while Martin-Portugues claimed her first podium of the season—her third career medal in Tunis following a gold in 2024 and silver in 2023.
Path to the Podium
Alina Mikhailova's journey to gold was a masterclass in resilience. After a bye to the 64, she survived a heart-pounding 15-14 encounter with World number 6 and World bronze medallist Alina Komashchuk (UKR). She followed this by eliminating World number 3 Yoana Ilieva (BUL) 15-11 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, she edged out Erbil by a single touch (15-14) before controlling the final against Emura to win 15-10.
Emura Misaki faced an equally daunting bracket. Her route to the final included an 15-11 victory over the returning Paris 2024 Olympic Champion, Manon Apithy-Brunet (FRA), followed by a 15-14 thriller against the legendary Rio 2016 Olympic Champion, Yana Egorian (AIN). She secured her silver with a dominant 15-7 semi-final win over Martin-Portugues.
Nisanur Erbil proved her tenacity by reaching the final four, highlighted by a 15-14 victory over Sergeeva (AIN) in the round of 16 and a 15-9 win over France’s Tori in the quarter-finals. She fell just one touch short of the final in her loss to Mikhailova.
Lucia Martin-Portugues demonstrated why Tunis is her favourite hunting ground. Her path to bronze was a gauntlet of top seeds: she eliminated World number 4 Michela Battiston (ITA) 15-14 in the Round of 16, before knocking out World number 5 and two-time GP winner Jeon Hayoung (KOR) 15-13 in the quarter-finals.
